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Post by jhar26 on May 17, 2008 21:38:41 GMT -5
This may be an interesting topic to talk about.....
I wonder how come that so many people are opposed to gay marriage? Why do they feel so threatened by it? And since most of the arguments we hear against it are of a religious nature - what does that say about the (so-called?) seperation of church and state?
Gaston
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Post by erik on May 17, 2008 23:11:55 GMT -5
At least here in America, there happen to be a great deal of people who are still stuck in Puritan times, and the notion that there are people here who might be "different" is one that repulses religious zealots no end. So you get those who use the Bible as a weapon of repression, much the same as Islamist extremists use the Khoran as a justification for killing 3,000+.
I have no problem with gay marriage; many of those couples have led productive lives and have contributed to the growth of our country. Another reason why I don't have a problem with it is because I am the product of a heterosexual marriage that went sour. Over fifty percent of all heterosexual marriages in America end in divorce, usually with a child at the center of it all who is scarred for life. To me, divorce is far more a threat to the "sanctity" of marriage in America than whether two lesbians wed. We so often worry about exactly the wrong things in this country.
Or at least our own Osama Bin Ladens (Jerry Falwell [now deceased, praise be!]; Pat Robertson; James Dobson; John Hagee) do.
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Post by robertaxel on May 20, 2008 18:06:03 GMT -5
It is part of societal evolution... it was not that long ago that it was almost impossible for Blacks to vote, and I remember separate help-wanted columns for men and women (guess which one had the lower paying jobs.. hint: it wasn't males).. future generations will likely look back aghast that gays were ever not allowed to marry, IMO
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Post by profblues on May 21, 2008 9:35:23 GMT -5
personally, I don't care one way or another. marriage is more of a "rite" than a "right". it does amaze me sometimes when i can see the quality of people who want to get married and can't because of the law and then look around me and see some of the knuckledraggers and halfwits that are married just because they happen to be of two different genders.
same with the whole issue of gays/lesbians being able to adopt or be foster parents. i know people that shouldn't be allowed to raise lettuce let alone kids, yet they've got a yard full of their own or run a daycare.
but two committed, well educated, financially stable, men who just happen to be gay, are denied the right to adopt or be foster parents because some outfit is afraid they are going to be a "negative influence" on the children or that they don't reflect a biblical definition of "family"
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Post by jhar26 on May 21, 2008 10:23:36 GMT -5
personally, I don't care one way or another. marriage is more of a "rite" than a "right". it does amaze me sometimes when i can see the quality of people who want to get married and can't because of the law and then look around me and see some of the knuckledraggers and halfwits that are married just because they happen to be of two different genders. same with the whole issue of gays/lesbians being able to adopt or be foster parents. i know people that shouldn't be allowed to raise lettuce let alone kids, yet they've got a yard full of their own or run a daycare. but two committed, well educated, financially stable, men who just happen to be gay, are denied the right to adopt or be foster parents because some outfit is afraid they are going to be a "negative influence" on the children or that they don't reflect a biblical definition of "family" Exactly. Gaston
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Post by jhar26 on May 21, 2008 10:32:55 GMT -5
It is part of societal evolution... it was not that long ago that it was almost impossible for Blacks to vote, and I remember separate help-wanted columns for men and women (guess which one had the lower paying jobs.. hint: it wasn't males).. future generations will likely look back aghast that gays were ever not allowed to marry, IMO Could be. In Belgium and Holland gays can get married, and nobody seems to make a big deal about it. Gaston
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Post by Kathy ~ on May 21, 2008 20:49:44 GMT -5
yeah, around here people get married often !!! divorce, get remarried, divorce get re re married.... really no opinion, just an observation.. kind of what the ron said.. it's a piece of paper to me... then again, when it comes to the pre nups & all that...of course, this elusive guy must be on forbes list of top money makers... maybe i should scoot over to a "match me" site... ah, bite me as walty would say !!! oh, i say on this -- whatever floats your boat.. sink or swim !! crap, do you know how many bridesmaid dresses i had to lay out $$$ for !! i reckon i'm looking for mr. perfect or nothing at all... i don't want to end up a statisitc or an old maid what was the question
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Post by Kathy ~ on May 21, 2008 20:57:05 GMT -5
At least here in America, there happen to be a great deal of people who are still stuck in Puritan times, and the notion that there are people here who might be "different" is one that repulses religious zealots no end. So you get those who use the Bible as a weapon of repression, much the same as Islamist extremists use the Khoran as a justification for killing 3,000+. I have no problem with gay marriage; many of those couples have led productive lives and have contributed to the growth of our country. Another reason why I don't have a problem with it is because I am the product of a heterosexual marriage that went sour. Over fifty percent of all heterosexual marriages in America end in divorce, usually with a child at the center of it all who is scarred for life. To me, divorce is far more a threat to the "sanctity" of marriage in America than whether two lesbians wed. We so often worry about exactly the wrong things in this country. Or at least our own Osama Bin Ladens (Jerry Falwell [now deceased, praise be!]; Pat Robertson; James Dobson; John Hagee) do. I am the product of a heterosexual marriage that went sour. Over fifty percent of all heterosexual marriages in America end in divorce, usually with a child at the center of it all who is scarred for life I am sorry for you Erik... I was not married, but 12 years with the same guy -- at least we are still friendly. I think the issue of bringing kids into our relationship was scary..and we weren't kids. Just having my nieces go through the drama made me think very hard.. They can't look back on those years with many smiles.. Take care Erik & keep an open heart
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Post by erik on May 22, 2008 13:25:22 GMT -5
I think it always helps to have a good family surrounding you when you're growing up. A lot of people I know grew up as products of divorce and yet became good people as adults, and often better parents than the ones that parented them.
Myself, though, I don't think I'll get married. I really don't think I have what it takes to be a good husband, and unfortunately I probably wouldn't make a good father either; it's just not in me.
One of the reasons I applaud gay couples is that they manage to lead very productive lives and contribute a great deal to enrich our nation. So too do black people of course, but as Robert has pointed out, that acknowledgement has come really only relatively recently in our history. And much of the blame for that falls on the religious zealots and bigots that we tolerate here in America.
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Post by Andrew on Aug 7, 2008 20:16:01 GMT -5
I was raised in a culture which emphasizes marriage as a major rite-of-passage, and that rite-of-passage is denied to me. At the risk of sounding whiny, it's just cruel.
Andrew (gay)
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